Building panel



Nov. 23, 1965 W. C. HEIRIGH BUILDING PANEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 1, 1958 Z IZVENTOR.

' Nov. 23, 1965 w. c. HEIRICH 3,218,773

BUILDING PANEL Original Filed July 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-2 F1623 1965 w. c. HElRlCH 3,218,773

BUILDING PANEL Original Filed July 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNYEN'TOR.

3,218,773 BUILDING PANEL William C. Heirich, 515 S. 15th St., Muskogee, Okla. Original application July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 745,856. Divided and this application July 17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,736

3 Claims. (Cl. 52-521) This invention, which is a division of application Serial No. 745,856, filed July 1, 1958, now abondoned, relates to building materials, and more especially to form and shapes of metallic building eleemnts such that many struc tures may be built without the use of wooden lumber, and the materials may also be used in conjunction with wooden lumber to build other structures.

It is a first object of the inventor to provide an element or panel that may be described as metallic lumber which may be used in lieu of rafters, sheathing, and roofing to form a roof, and which may be used in lieu of studding sheathing, and siding to make vertical weathertight walls for a building.

It is a second object of the invention to provide ancillary metallic elements to cooperate with the panels as joists or stringers, sills, cornerposts and so forth whereby, with a very few simple shapes, a wide variety of structures can be erected.

A further object of the invention is to provide materials for simple and decorative car-ports, canopies or awnings that can be readily cut and assembled in the field.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two panel elements according to this invention in assembled relation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a joist or stringer according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section showing a panel supported on a stringer element.

FIG. 4 is a section through an over-door canopy or awning showing a means of support.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another form of over-door canopy and support.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through a vertical walled, flat-roofed building constructed of the materials of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section of a corner of a building according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows two panel elements according to the invention in assembled relationship. Each panel element 10 includes a bottom 11, having one or more ribs or ridges 11 extending longitudinally thereof. Along one edge of bottom 11 is an upstanding wall or web 12 terminating in a horizontal flange 13. Along the other edge of bottom 11 is an upwardly extending wall 14. Walls 12 and 14 flare outwardly somewhat from bottom 11.

The upper edge of wall 14 is formed with a bead or groove 15, into which a flange 13 of an adjacent panel seats to interlock two panels when they are assembled. A horizontal flange portion 16 overlies the flange 13 of the adjacent panel, and angularly disposed sealing flanges 17, 18 extend down over the wall 12 of the adjacent panel element. These sealing flange portions are angularly disposed to each other. The slope of flange portions 17 is flatter than that of portion 18 but, it will be noted, the lower edge of flange portion 18 is so positioned that when a flange 13 is introduced into bead and the panels brought into position, with bottoms 3,218,773 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 11 in the same plane, the lower edge of flange 18 forms a seal at 19, while flange portions 17 and 18 are spaced from wall 12 to avoid the possibility of a capillary seepage of water over the top of the flange 13.

It will be noted that due to the interlock of flange 13 into bead 15 a singularly strong structure is formed.

In order to secure adjacent panels together, and to assure that sealing edge 19 is pulled down tight against the adjacent wall 12, slots 20 are provided spaced along flange 12 and bolt holes 21 are provided in flange portion 16 whereby bolts 22 and nuts 23 may be used to secure adjacent panels together, the elongated slots 20 speed up assembly and allow for minor variations in longitudinal alignment.

It will be seen, therefore, that an assemblage of panels results in a series of triangular beams 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. The bottoms 11 forming the bottom flange of adjacent beams.

It will be noted further that the width of a plurality of panels secured together may be varied by pushing the panels together so that walls 12 and 14 are more near ly vertical or by pulling the panels apart so that the slope of walls 12 and 14 is not quite so steep. The amount of variation possible, taken with conventional design standards, usually eliminate the need for cutting and splicing panels.

Splicing a panel for reducing the width can be done by sawing lengthwise of the panel halfway between the ribs 11' and overlapping the bottom so that one rib 11' rests within the other. The two ribs are secured together by bolts with caulking compound or mastic between the two parts. Similarly, if wall 12 is cut from one panel and wall 14 from another, the two ribs 11 nearest the cut, in each case, may be nested to form a panel bottom having, in eflect, three ribs 11'.

A deck or root made of the above described panel elements does not require joists nor sheating since the assembled deck of the panels alone is provided with beam elements and is tight.

From an inspection of FIG. 1, it will be noticed that an assemblage of panels will have great strength against bending along a line normal to the lengths of the panel elements, but will not have, by themselves, such strength against bending about a line parallel to the lengths of the panel elements.

Supports or columns may be provided inwardly of ends of the panel elements and a stringer is provided running at right angles to the lengths of panel elements 10. Such a stringer element is seen in FIG. 2. This stringer 38 is formed of sheet material and has a base 39 provided with ribs 39' and two slightly flaring web portions 40 terminating at their upper edges in outwardly extending hearing flanges 41 with turned down edges 42.

FIG. 3 shows a stringer 38 in position to support a plurality of panel elements 18. The stringer may be conveniently supported on a pipe column capped as seen at 43 and secured to the stringer 38 by bolts and nuts 36', 37 extending through bolt holes in the corners of a plate 44 on cap 43. Bolts and nuts 22, 23 secure the panel elements 10 to stringer 38. Such stringers may of course be used in the center of long panel elements to shorten the span, or may be used near the ends of the panel elements so that there will be an overhang. The ends of the overhanging panel elements are preferably finished with a facia.

A marquee or canopy for over a doorway may be simply made according to either FIG. 4 or FIG. 5. As seen in FIG. 4, a length of facia 24 is secured to the house wall over the door. A plurality of panel elements to make a deck of appropriate length and width are as sembled with the wall mounted facia and are finished along the sides and free ends of the panel elements with facia material. One or more supporting rods 45 are provided, and, in order to secure the marquee to the rod, a rigid metal strip 46 is provided that bolts to the inner surface of web 27 of the facia 24 and the end of one of the panel element bottoms 11 is cut away as required. The upper end of the strip is bent at right angles at 47 to receive the end of rod 45 and nuts 48, 48' on each side of angle portion 47 for adjustment. The upper end of rod 47 may be bent into a hook 49, and a strip 50 may be mounted on the wall at an appropriate distance above the marquee to receive the hook and support the marquee.

The marquee of FIG. 5 differs from that of FIG. 4 in that it is supported by brackets 51, and in that the panel elements extend parallel to the house wall instead of at right angles to the house wall.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a small building made entirely of the materials of the present invention. Panel elements 10 are placed in a vertical assembly and are secured to a floor 55 by a clip 56 as seen in FIG. 6. The floor 55, and clip 56 may, of course, be of any suitable material. On the top of the vertical wall, made up of panel elements 10, a plate element 57 which is of sheet material, similar to the material of panel elements 10, is formed into a shallow inverted U. A roof, as already described above, made up of panel elements 10, and finished with a facia 24, rests on and is secured to the plate element 57.

In FIG. 7 the structure of the small building is seen in partial section looking vertically downwardly. The corner posts of the building are formed by use of U- shaped terminal or post elements 58 of the same sheet material as the panel elements. The two legs of the U are of different lengths, the one being short to overlap only flange 13, or 16, or a panel element, the other leg being of a length to overlap the bottom 11 of the same element. The same post elements 58 are used for forming the sides of window openings or door openings. A window unit is seen at 59 set onto a window opening. The window sill is a length of plate material 57. Elements 58 are used whenever a vertical wall ends.

It will 'be seen, therefore, that the structural materials of the present invention are simple, easy to use, and versatile. A few simple shapes may be used to form marquees, porch roofs, car ports, small buidings, or the like of a simple workmanlike design. By use of the metal lumber of my invention the need for separate studding and siding is eliminated since the panel elements per form both functions. Similarly when the panel elements are used as a roof, rafters and sheathing are not required.

It will be understood that the above description is of the preferred embodiment of the invention, changes and modifications may, however, be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a building of the class described including a roof and at least one vertical wall, said roof and wall each comprising a plurality of identical U-shaped panel elements arranged in overlapping parallel relation, each such panel element comprising a generally flat bottom portion, a first upstanding web element extending along one side of said bottom portion, said first upstanding web element terminating in a first flange extending outwardly from and lying in a plane parallel to said bottom portion, a second upstanding web element extending along the other side of said bottom portion and terminating at its upper extremity in an outwardly opening groove receiving the edge of the outwardly extending said first flange of an adjacent parallel panel element, the edge of said grove remote from said second upstanding web element extending outwardly from said bottom portion to form a second flange portion overlying and secured in face to face contact with said first flange on the adjacent panel, and bent downwardly and inwardly to form downwardly and angularly disposed sealing flange portions, whereby, the lower edge only of said sealing flange portion contacts the inner surface of said first web element of the adjacent panel below the plane of said flanges to form a substantially water-tight seal, and the portions of said sealing flange between said top flange portion and said lower edge being spaced from said first upstanding web element of said adjacent panel, to prevent capillary seepage between the overlapping portions of said adjacent panels.

2. The building of claim 1 in which the ends of the vertical wall are provided with a terminal element comprising a U-shaped post having unequal legs, the shorter of said legs being secured to the interlocking portion of the end panel element of the wall, and the longer leg being secured to the same panel element at the bottom of said U-shaped panel element.

3. A structural building element comprising a U-shaped body having a generally flat bottom and substanially vertical side walls, the first side wall terminating in a flat outwardly extending horizontal first flange parallel to said bottom, the second said side wall terminating in a sealing portion adapted to interlock with, and overlie, the horizontal flange of an-adjacent identical structural building element when in assembled relation therewith, said sealing portion including a groove facing outwardly of said U-shaped body at the top of said second side wall to receive the edge of the horizontal first flange of said adjacent identical element, a second flange forming part of said sealing portoin extending from the edge of said grove remote from said bottom adapted to lie in face to face contact with said first flange of said adjacent identical element, and a sealing means formed by an extension of the edge of said second flange bent downwardly and then inwardly to present the free edge of said sealing means for contact with said adjacent identical element when in the designed interlocked engagement.

References Cited by the Examiner CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, JACOB SHAPIRO,

Examiners. 

1. IN A BUILDING OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED INCLUDING A ROOF AND AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL WALL, SAID ROOF AND WALL EACH COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL U-SHAPED PANEL ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN OVERLAPPING PARALLEL RELATION, EACH SUCH PANEL ELEMENT COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT BOTTOM PORTION, A FIRST UPSTANDING WEB ELEMENT EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID BOTTOM PORTION, SAID FIRST UPSTANDING WEB ELEMENT TERMINATING IN A FIRST FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AND LYING IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM PORTION, A SECOND UPSTANDING WEB ELEMENT EXTENDING ALONG THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID BOTTOM PORTION AND TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER EXTREMITY IN AN OUTWARDLY OPENING GROOVE RECEIVING THE EDGE OF THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING SAID FIRST FLANGE OF AN ADJACENT PARALLEL PANEL ELEMENT, THE EDGE OF SAID GROVE REMOTE FROM SAID SECOND UPSTANDING WEB ELEMENT EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM PORTION TO FORM A SECOND FLANGE PORTION OVERLYING AND SECURED IN FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH SAID FIRST FLANGE ON 